Aloe plant named ‘EC-ALAC-2005’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aloe  plant named ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ is disclosed, characterized by tight, upright plant habit. Leaves are dark green with light green stripes and a serrate light red and yellow-green margin. The new variety is an  Aloe , typically produced as an indoor or outdoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Aloe aculeata.

Variety denomination: ‘EC-ALAC-2005’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The seed parent an unpatented proprietary Aloe aculeata hybrid referred to as ‘12AL-44’. The pollen parent an unpatented proprietary Aloe aculeata hybrid referred to as ‘12AL-86’. The crossing was made during 2013 in Sappemeer, The Netherlands at a commercial greenhouse. ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ was discovered by the inventor in 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ was first performed in Sappemeer, The Netherlands, at a commercial laboratory by tissue culture in September of 2014. ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ has since produced several generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘EC-ALAC-2005.’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ as a new and distinct Aloe cultivar:

-   1. Tight, upright plant habit. -   2. Serrate light red margin. -   3. Dark green foliage with light green stripes.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ are similar to the seed parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new variety differ from the seed parent in the following:

-   -   1. Plants of the new variety are distinctively upright, plants         of the seed parent have foliage with a downward arch.     -   2. The new variety has light green stripes, the seed parent has         solid colored foliage.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ are similar to the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new variety differ in the following:

-   1. New cultivar has a light red serrate margin; the pollen parent     does not have a colored margin. -   2. Plants of the pollen parent are larger. -   3. The new variety has unraised light green stripes on the foliage,     the pollen parent has stripes which are raised.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘EC-ALAC-2005’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial variety Aloe ‘Spider’. The two Aloe varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety differs in the following:

-   1. Plants of the new variety have a rosette formation; plants of     this comparator form multiple growth points. -   2. The new variety has wider foliage than this comparator. -   3. This comparator does not have the serrate light red margin of the     new variety.

‘EC-ALAC-2005’ can also be compared to the commercial variety Aloe ‘EC-ALOE-1801’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,336. The two Aloe varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety differs in the following:

-   -   1. Plants of the new variety are upright, plants of this         comparator are composed of foliage with a downward arch.     -   2. The new variety has dark green foliage with many light green         stripes, foliage of this comparator is solid green.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ grown in a greenhouse in Sappemeer, The Netherlands. This plant is approximately 11 months old, shown in a 10.5 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close up view of the underside of the foliage.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close up view of the upperside of the foliage.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart, 2015 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ plants in a commercial greenhouse in Sappemeer, The Netherlands during April. Temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 25° C. during the day, and 18° C. to 21° C. during the night. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants. Natural light conditions were approximately 2500 to 3000 fc of light. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Aloe hybrid ‘EC-ALAC-2005’. -   Age of the plant described: 11 months in a 10.5 cm pot.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: Approximately 7 to 10 days at 20° C. -   Time to produce a rooted liner: About 28 to 35 days at 20° C. -   Propagation method: Tissue culture.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright basal rosette. -   Container size: 10.5 cm. -   Height: 9.1 cm to top of foliar plane. -   Plant spread: Average 12.1 cm. -   Growth rate: Low to moderate. -   Branching characteristics: Single basal rosette. No branches. -   Root description: Moderately dense, fibrous. White, around RHS 155A.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Quantity of leaves.—Approximately 10 per rosette.         -   Average length.—8.6 cm.         -   Average width.—2.3 cm.         -   Average thickness.—0.8 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Lanceolate, succulent.         -   Apex.—Long acuminate.         -   Base.—Broad cuneate.         -   Margin.—Coarsely dentate-serrate. Average length of teeth:             0.15 cm, average width of teeth: 0.175 cm, near Red 37A.         -   Aspect.—Very slightly concave to nearly flat.         -   Texture of upper surface.—Moderately pustulate, visible as             oblong ridged dots colored Yellow-Green 147D. Average length             of dots: 0.2 cm, average diameter of ridges: 0.175 cm,             average height of ridges: 0.5 cm.         -   Texture of under surface.—Pustulate, visible as narrow             oblong ridges, colored Yellow-Green 147D. Average length of             ridges: 0.4 cm, average diameter of ridges: 0.15 cm, average             height of ridges less than 0.2 mm.         -   Appearance upper surface.—Moderately glossy.         -   Appearance under surface.—Slightly glossy.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near Green 137B fading             lighter towards the base; Yellow-Green 144A and 144B. Oblong             dots colored Yellow-Green 147D. Margin near Red 37A. Young             foliage under side: Near Green 137C, fading lighter towards             the base; 144A and 144B. Oblong dots colored Yellow-Green             147D. Margin near Red 37A. Mature foliage upper side: Near             Green 137C tinged Yellow-Green 147A, fading lighter towards             the base; 147C. Oblong dots colored Yellow-Green 147D.             Margin near Red 37A. Mature foliage under side: Near Green             139A tinged Yellow-Green 147A, fading lighter towards the             base; 147C. Oblong dots colored Yellow-Green 148C. Margin             near Red 37A. -   Venation: Parallel venation, coloration indistinguishable from leaf     blade.

FLOWER

-   Flowering: Not observed.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: None observed to date. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures up to 40 degrees C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     normal diseases and pests known to Aloe observed to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aloe plant named ‘EC-ALAC-2005’ as herein illustrated and described. 